Vanessa Bednar

Vanessa Bednar is an actress, writer, and producer known for her work across film, television, and digital media. Her recent projects include the comedy sketch series Being an Actress in the '90s, which has cultivated a growing online following. She wrote and stars in the short film Mrs. Ed, currently entering the festival circuit, and is in preproduction on the feature A Moment in Time, an original screenplay. Bednar is the creator, co-writer, and co-producer of the award-winning series Barbee Rehab, in which she also appears as Midge, Teresa, and Strawberry Shortcake. The series features the late Tom Sizemore, Janice Dickinson, Bai Ling, Lisa Wilcox, Rachel Reilly, and Derek Orr, and is streaming across major platforms. She also wrote, produced, and starred in the series Can't Let It Go. Bednar is recognized for her recurring appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!-totaling 18 episodes-and for portraying Margot Robbie's mother in Damien Chazelle's Babylon. Her additional credits include numerous roles in both comedy and drama features. A graduate of Second City and iO West, Bednar began her on-screen career after earning her SAG card in 1996 with a guest-starring role on Silk Stalkings, followed by an appearance on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Earlier in her career, she appeared in films such as Vegas Vacation and My Favorite Martian through Hawaiian Tropic promotional work. In addition to acting, Bednar has extensive experience in live event production, having produced hundreds of model-search events worldwide. She served as Executive Producer of the 25th Anniversary Hawaiian Tropic International Model Search featuring Everclear, which was nationally syndicated. Originally from Mount Prospect, Illinois, Bednar discovered acting while attending Oakton Community College before relocating to California to pursue her career. She is also the author of Left Behind (2014), a memoir addressing the impact of her father's death and offering support to others coping with loss.